Combination lock



Dec. 22, 1931. s. N. HOPE COMBINATION LOCK Filed March l5, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z zzz/e @for degl-f@ e.

S. N. HDPE COMBINATION LOCK Dm. 22, w3

Filed March l5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 denier' bination in the field Patented Dec. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAMUEL N. HOPE, OF WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR 'VlO DUDLEY LOCK CORPORA- TION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS ooMBnvArIonY `Loon' This invention relates -to certain novel improvements in locks, and more particularly to locks of the permutation or keyless type, especially constructed for use in connection with wall safes, locker doors, drawers, and various other forms of closures. @ne-of the objects of this invention is to provide in a lock of this character, a generally improved construction which is simple, durable, positive in operation, and capable of being economically manufactured. Another `.object is to provide in a lock ofthe character mentioned a relatively simple construction which permits quick and easy alterationl of the com- A further object is to provide an improved lock construction in which alarge number of different combinations maybe attained in assembly when using a given setand arrangement of tumbler elements. A still further object is to produce an improved lock construction wherein the tumbler elements are supported in spaced relation to and substantially independently of the lock bolt actuating spindle. And a still further object of this invention resides in an improved method for conveniently ascertaining the combination of a lock in the iield. rlhe invention consists in certain features and elements ofconstruction in combination, as herein shown and described, and as indicated by the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1,- is a face view in elevation of a lock embodying the present invention, shown as applied to apanel type of closure member.

Figure 5 is a disassembled perspective view of parts of the lock, showing the front of the Y general type Vdisclosed in my co-pending conjoint application withhJohn J. Neitz, bearing filingdate February. 27, `1929 and Serial No. 343,034. Y Y

Referring now to the drawings, thelock is sho-wn for purpose of illustration, affixed to the inner side of a panel type closure member,

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l, adjacent its lateral edge; it being understood, however, that the lock may be secured either to the movable closure member ork the co-operating fixed member for closures, such as lockers, vaults, Y drawers. etc. The lock proper consists of a casing havingV a rectangular cup-shaped body part, 2, and a back cover plate, 3, secured thereto in any suitable manner, and as-herein shown, by engagement of the tangs, 2a, on the body casing part, 2, in the apertures, 3a, of the back cover plate. Secured to the front of thercasing part, 2, is a plate, 4, having a pair of oppositely extending ears, 5, for securement of the lock casing to inner side of the panel, l,`by means of button head bolts, 6, and the nuts, 7, as may be seen inFigure 3; the bolts being arranged so Vthat their round heads are exposed on the outer side of the panel member topreclude unauthorized'removal of the lock from its mounting Vwhen the closure member is in locked position. If desired, this front plate member, 4, may be formed as an integral part of the casing, 2, and as seen in the drawings,

said front plate is provided with a laterally projecting annular sleeve, 8, substantially central with respect to the cup-shaped part of the casing, 2; said sleeve projecting through and beyond the front side of the panel, 1, and serving as a journal bearing for atumble actuating knob, indicated at 10.

This tumbler actuating knob which is or" substantially cylind `ical form, is provided with an annular flange, 11, adapted to be seated against the inner side of the front plate, a, for preventing said knob from being withdrawn from the casing in an outward direction, the front part of the tup-shaped casing, 2, being provided with an opening to accommodate said annular flange, 1l, of the tumbl-er actuating knob, (as seen in Figure rl`he portion of the tumbler actuating knob which extends beyond the panel, 1, is provided with a series of parallel longitudinally extending peripheral grooves, 12, preferably arranged in pairs in diametrically opposite relation for engagement with a. pair of co-operating, inwardly projecting diametrically opposite lugs or tongues, 13, of an annular graduated dial plate, 14, which is arranged coni entrieally on saidknob. As shown in the drawings, one of the lugs, 13, is located in line with the zero graduation of the dial, and it may be understood that actually this one lug` will suffice, but l preferably employ two lugs for a balanced construction. To give the knob more uniform appearance the peripheral surface thereof intermediate the grooves, 12, is preferably formed with grooves of lesser depth, giving the knob as a whole a somewhat knu-rled effect. The purpose of the plurality of sets of main grooves, 12, in the tumbler-actuating knob is to permit changing of the combination of the lock in the field, as will hereinafter be fully explained. For convenience in assembly of the lock it is preferable to have some index of a standard arrangement of assembly of the knob with respect to the dial, and accordingly I designate one of the grooves, 12, as a main groove, 12a, for the initial assembly set-up by forming the shallow grooves on the opposite sides thereof Yof shorter length than the other grooves, as indicated at 15, so that in asseinbling the lock for initial set-up, the grooife, 12a, may be selected at a glance for engagement with the lug, 13, at the Zero point of the dial.

The dial plate. 1.4i, vforn'ied at the rear side thereof with an annular recess, 17, dimensioned for journaling on the outer periphery of he casing sleeve, 8, as may be seen in Figure so that 'the dial will be maintained concentrically of the tumbler setting knob and supported substantially indep-cndenti?.T thereof. and the only engagement of said parts being by said tongue-andgroove connection by means of which the dial may be rotated with the knob.

Force fitted on the sleeve, 8, rearward of the dial, 14, and abutting against the front of the front plate, 1i, is an annular cupshapcd member, 1S, having an 11p-turned annular peripheral flange, 19, of slightly larger diameter than the dial. An escutcheon plate, 20, is secured to the front side of the panel member, l, by the bolts, (3, and is formed with an annular offset portion, 21, dimensioned to lit around the outer surface of the peripheral flange, 19, and overlapping the marginal edge of the dial face, the upstanding flange, 19, thus insuring proper clearance for free movement of the dial under the escutcheon plate. rl."lius the dial is merely maintained captive by the escutcheon plate, and retained against lateral a-Xial movement in an outward direction, while the end of the sleeve, 8, prevents axial movement of said dial in the opposite direction. The face of the dial may be graduated in any suitable formI for convinience in setting the tumbler mechanism in combination; since the dial is rotatable with the tumbler setting knob, it is necessary to provide some intitial index or starting point, and, accordingly, the escutchcon plate is formed with an index element in the nature of a depression, 22, with which the graduations of the dial may be registered.

It will now be apparent that the combination of the lock may be quickly and easily changed in the field by merely loosening the bolts. 6, permitting the removal of the escutcheon plate and dial, so that the lugs, 18, may be shifted angularly relative to the knob, 10, for engagement with a different set of grooves, 12, thereby altering the combina tion. As illustrated in the drawings, it will be noted that the tumbler setting knob is provided with eight main longitudinal grooves, 12, which are adapted to be selectively registered with the lug or tongue, 19, which corresponds to the Zero graduation of the dial, thus affording eight selective positions of adjustment of the knob relative to the dial. Hence, merely shifting` the dial the angular amount for registration with the next successive main groove, 1Q, will alter the combination by five points on a dial (because it has forty graduations) which numerical amount may be added to or subtracted respectively from the previous combination numbers for ascertaining the new combination of the lock. This feature is of especial advantage where it is necessary to alter the combinations of the lock at various intervals, such as when it is used on lockers, drawers, etc., of institutions, such as schools, clubs, etc., where the locker and drawers are changed and reassigned to different indi viduals at various times. Disposed concentrically of the tumbler-actuating knob is a spindle, 25, having its inner end counterbored at 26 and journaled on a stud, 27, rigidly secured on the inside of the casing back tion.

plate, 3, as seen 'at Figure 3, and having a portion adjacent said end journaled in the annular sleeve, .28, which is secured to said tumbler-actuating knob, l0, and extends a substantial portion of the depth of the casing. The outer end of the spindle is provided With'an operating knob, 29, journaled in the outer end of the tumbler actuating knob, 10.v Rigidly secured to the inner end of the spindle is an operating arm, 3l, engageable in a groove, 32, ot a laterally shiftable lock bolt,r33, loosely mounted in the Casing for shifting said bolt into and out of locking position.

Loosely mounted on said sleeve, 28, of the tumbler actuating knob are aV plurality of axially spaced tumblers, 35, having interengaging features in the nature of laterally projecting lugs, 36, by means ot which saidV tumblers may rotatably adjust each other into a predetermined arrangement. rlhese tumblers are spaced apart toinsure proper driving engagement oi' their lugs by intermediate horseshoe shaped spacer members, 37, which are anchored against rotation or shifting in transaxial direction, on a pair of pins, 33, secured to the interior of the casino', 2. These spacingelements thus serve to prevent transmission ot rotary motion from one oi the tumbler elements to the other. VThe transaXial inner tace ot the tlange ll, of the tumbler actuating knob, l0, is provided With a pluralityV ot angularly spaced apertures, 39, in any one of which may be engaged the driving lug, 36, ot the iirst orv master tumbler by virtue of which said knob may transmit rotary motion to all the tumblers of the series for setting'them in proper combina- The tumblers are each provided With a pair of notches, 35a, opening at the periphery and arranged for receiving the co-operat ing projections, 33a, of the lock bolt, When the notches oi" all the tuinblers are aligned by the setting ot the tumblers in a. predetermined combination to permit Ytree' shitting of the lock bolt by rotation of the spindle, into and out of locking position.

Interposed between the last tumbler'of the series and the lock bolt operating arm, 3l, is a convex spring member, 40, herein shovvn as of spiderformation with a plurality of radially extending tangs, 41, connected together at central portion, 42, which is ot relatively small diameteigrso that the'yielding pressure may be transmitted from the operating member, 3l, to the last tumbler of the series with the minimum possibility of imparting rotary motion from said member,'31, to the tumblers. For the purpose of illustration it may be seen in Figure 3 that this convex spring element, 40, is arranged with the radial tangs, 4l, engaging theoperating member, 3l, and with the relatively small central area, 42, transmitting spring pres-V sure through the medium of an interposed erative relation.

Washer, 43, to the last tumbler of the series, thus tending toinaintain the tumblers in proper position tor insuring operation and engagement ot theirlugs tor adjusting each other. it Will be apparent that the provision ot' number or apertures, 39, in the tumbler actuating knob is ofespecial advantage in t it affords a substantial increase in the possible number ot Vcombinations obtainable in the assembly ot a lock When employing the olf the operating knob ofthe spindle, thus l tending to yieldingly separate said tumbler actuating knob and spindle. lt Will be manifest that this arrangement of spring, 47, Will cause the exertion oi" a yielding pressure throughthe arm, 31 to the tumbler mechanism tor maintaining said tumblersin op:

from the `operating member, 31, however, is in turn yieldingly transmitted through the medium of the convex spring, 40, to the tumy Ythe combination aligning the notches, 35,

for receiving the projections, 33a, of the `lock bolt, theA spindle may be rotated by the knob, 29, for shifting the lock bolt, 33, into and out of locking position Without any possibility or" upsetting the tumbler combination. This feature is important in that the lock bolt cannot be inadvertently moved to locking position by rotating the tumbler actuating knob, 10, but positively necessitates -first shitting the bolt to lockingposition bythe spindle, so that the projections, 33a, on the locking bolt, are moved clear out-ot engagement with the co-'operating notches, 35a, in the tumblers, before the tumbler actuating knob can be rotated for upsetting the tumbler combination.

The present invention is also yconcerned with the provision of lan improved method misquoted, and it is accordingly desirable to They pressure transmitted.

readily ascertain the combination Without the necessity of sending the lock baelr to the manufacturer for disassembly. ln order to carry out my improved method, preferably the back plate of the lock is 'provided with one or more apertures, 5l, herein shown as two, With which are adapted to be registered a pair ot apertures, 52, in the locl bolt operating arm, 3l, when said operating arm is in locking position, seen in Figure 4. VThe tumbler actuating 1Knob first rotated at least two full revolutions in one direction, then a feeler member', having a pair of prongs rigidly connected together, is inserted into the apertures, 5l, in the back of the case, through the apertures, 52, in the lock bolt operating arm, until said feelers engage the surface of the last tumbler of the series. The knob, l0, is again rotated in the same direction until the notches, 85, of said tumbler are aligned With the apertures in the case and the operating ar'm, at which time the feeler member is projected laterally therethrough until the ends thereoic engage the surface of the intermediate tumbler member. Aiter such adustment the dial reading is noted and it corresponds to the iirst number of the combination. The tumbler actuating knob is then rotated one complete revolution in the oppo` site direction, and then eontinuedrotating 'n the same diretcion until the notches, 35a, in aid intermediate tumbler are registered with tile notches of' the last tumbler and also said ape-rt tlius permitting the eeler member to be nojected` through said intermediate tumbler Jor engaging the surface ofthe master or tumbler of the series, and again the dial reading` is noted and which corresponds to t srcond number or the locks combination. The tumbler operating knob is then rotated in reverse direction until the notches, a, in said master tumbler are aligned with the notches in the other tumbler said apertures, so to permit said feeler net an no 'i members tobeproj ectedtherethrough through fra-irl not dies, After such adjustment the dial reading is again noted and these three numerical readings noted during the successive adjustments of the dial, Will correspond to the combination which normally permits opening of the lock. For convenience, the apertures, 5l, in the baelr et rthe case, and the apertures. 52, in the operating member, are so located as to register with the notches, 3o, when the same are aligned to permit retraction ot the lock bolt. However, it may l e readily understood that apertures may be substituted in lieu of said notches and may be located in any other suitable position. lt will also be lunderstood tb a single aperture in the ease, operating arm and in each of' the tumblers may also be made to serve the purpose.

l. In a permutation lock ot the character s tun'iblers mounted concentrically a; the spindle for controlling the movement ol the lool-r bolt, said tuinblers having int-ren ging matures for rotatably adjusting ont, y other, a separate knob mounted l concen L 'l nit the spindle knob, and arranged rer adji ting the tumblers in a predetermined combination for releasing the lucir bolt, means on the spindle beyond said tumblers, er geable with the bolt, for shittthe same to release position by movent of the spindle attcr said tumblers have been so adjusted, said spindle and tumbler setting lmob being` termed to provide a cavaliout a portion or" the spindle, and a coil spring disposed in the cavity, around said s licl-e por "on and reacting between stop l on the spindle and the tumbler setig knob, tending to separate them in axial their-by causing said lock bolt opthe spindle to yieldingly toward each other, and intrin the first tumblerl in op- "ement with the tumbler setting lr permutation lock ot the character d, the combination o' a casing, a ile rotatably mounted in the casing and ig; a limited range et axial movement, spindle having an operating knob proenteriorly el the casi-ne a laterally 4ble lock bolt in said casing, a series aced tumblers mounted concentrically ut "be spindle for controlling the moveenl; ot tre locll; bolt, said tumblers having 'nt rengagmg features for rotatably adjustone by the other, a separate knob mount ed concentrically about the spindle 1Knob, and arranged for adjusting the tumbler-s in a j nedocrmined coi'nbination for releasing the loci: bolt, an arm rigidly secured to the inner end of the spindle and engageable with the lov bolt 'lier shitting the same, and a disbeal pring interposed bet-Ween said erin and the last tumbler for yieldingly maintaininN said tumblers in operable relation,

' lea, ng :i central portion of rela- ,all diameter 'for trznsmitting the from one ot the members between .Y iL is interposed to the other, whereby o minimize t sion of rotary the i ,Quindo is rotated.

tion ot relatively small diameter for transloi] lib

knob and dial having interengaging features for permitting angular adjustment relative to each other to a plurality of positions for varying the combination of the lock without altering the internal mechanism, and a plurality of tumblers having interengaging features for adjusting one by the other, including a master tumbler having driving engagement with the knob, said master tumbler and knob having features adapted to connect them in any one of a plurality of angularly related positions in the initial assembly of the parts; the knob and dial being provided with identification means for designating the relative position of said parts in the initial assembly of the lock. Y

5. In a permutation lock of the character described, the combination with a casing and a member on which it is mounted, of a rotatable tumbler actuating knob journaled in the Vcasing and extending laterally therefrom, a graduated dial mounted concentrically of and rotatable with said knob, an escutcheon plate overlapping the periphery f the dial with means securing said plate to the casing with the mounting member interposed, said plate being provided with a fixed index with which the graduations of the dial are adapted to be registered, said casing being provided with a member hav? ing an annular laterally projecting flange concentric with the axis of rotation of the knob and arranged to co-operate with an offset in ing a working clearance for the dial under said plate. V Y

6. In a permutation lock of the character described, the combination with a casing and a member on. which it is secured, of a tumbler actuating knob journaled inthe casing, a graduated dial and index associated with the knob, one of which is fixed with respect to the member and the other rotatable with said knob, said knob having a transverse Harige disposed in the casing and having bearing Contact with the inner wall of the casing for limiting its outward movement, and a plurality of tumblers arranged co-axially'with the knob including a' master tumbler having driving engagement therewith, said tumblers having co-operating driving lugs for adjusting oneV bythe other, and the inner the escutcheon plate for maintain-v face of ,said transverse .flange of the knob being provided with a circumferential row of apertures one of which is adapted to be engagedby the drivinglug of the master tumbler, said knob and master tumbler beingu dj ustable relative to each other with the driving lug of said tumbler engaging in any one ofY said apertures inthe flange forvaryf ing the combination of the lock.-A n

7'.. Ina permutation lock, the'combination with a mounting member, of acasing secured to one side of said member, a rotatable tum# bier-adjusting member projecting from said casing and extending through an aperture in the mounting member, a graduated dial disposed concentrically of and carried on said tumbler adjusting member, and an escutcheon platesecured'to the mounting member at the side opposite the casing, adapted to embrace the outer peripheral edge of the dial for confining it against axial movement, said escutcheon plate being provided with an 1ndexinark with which the graduations of the dial are adapted to be registered, said dial and tumbler adjusting member having interengaging features adapted to permit'detachable securement of the dial in avplurality of positions of angular adjustment on said tum? bier adjusting member, for varying the com- Y bination of the lock, said interengaging features being in the nature of a. tongue-and groove connection, one of the cooperating parts having a tongue adapted to be engaged with one of a plurality of grooves formed in the other cooperating part, said grooved partv being provided with an indentification feature to designate a certain groove with which the tongue on the other part is adapted to be engaged in the initial assembly of the lock.

8. In a permutation lock, the combination with a mounting vmember,of a casing secured to one side of said member, said casing being provided with an outwardly projecting cylindrical sleeve, a rotatable tumbler-adjusting member j ournaled in the sleeve and adapted to extend through the mounting member, a graduated dial mounted concentrically on said tumbler adjusting member, said dial and tumbler adjusting member having interengaging features adapted to permit detachable securement thereof in a plurality of positions of adjustment for varying the combination of the lock, and an index fixed with respect to said mounting member, with which element the graduations of the dial are adapted to be aligned for setting the combination of the lock.l

and an escutcheon plate secured to the mounting member and adapted to embrace the outer peripheral edge of said dial' for holding the latter captive, said eseuteheon plate being provided with an index mark with which the graduations of the dial are registered, said dial and tumbler adjusting member having mutually engaging feautresadapted to permit detachable seeurement of the dial in a plurality of positions of angular adjustment with respect to said tumbler adjusting member for varying' the combination of the lock, said tumbler adjusting member being' provided With an ind'enticatio-n feature to indieate the relative positions of said dial and adjusting member in the initial assemblj7 of the lock;

SAMUEL N. HOPE. 

